Saturday, 27 September 2008

Another fine trade with Matt and Jo in the UK. Matt sent over this great 2008 Allen and Ginter Varitek and Jo the Dice K rookie. Another box of 2008 Goudey is due soon. I only need a few more to complete the Red Sox set.

I am looking to set up trades for all the teams in the MLB. So far I have linked with;

Kevin who collects the Orioles,

Steve the White Sox,

David from Tribes cards, the Indians,

Todd the Royals (and soccer),

Brian the Braves,

Cliff from Capewood , the Astros and Phillies,

Thorzul, the Brewers,

Bill at Boxbusters, the Cardinals

and recently Justin , the Bay Rays.

I am fairly new to 'blind trades' and I don't expect to receive too much back, but I am finding the experience interesting and enjoyable. Not only does it give me something else to write about but I have cards in boxes that I would like to give a good home to.

He is an experienced collector and sent me a great mixture of over 200 Red Sox cards and Red Sox odd ball stuff, the favourites of the lot being a Roger Clemens Kraft Cheese Singles card, a Wade Bloggs 'Collect a book' , three Red Sox badges and some Classic Red Sox Phone Cards.

Wednesday, 10 September 2008

I have started to complete some card trades and wanted to keep a record of the comings and goings, while in pursuit of the 1980 TOPPS BASEBALL complete set.

It all started in 1980 and this was the card that did it.

Card Number 320 Dennis Eckersley.

I knew nothing about baseball or baseball card collecting.

I knew nothing about Dennis Eckersley.

I knew nothing about his home town of Bay Village.

I didn't know where Fenway Park was.

I didn't know what ERA was.

I didn't know....

Well I didn't know a lot of stuff.

But I have spent the last 28 years finding out and collecting a few cards in the process.

It wasn't until two years ago that I made a serious effort to collect the 1980's.

Baseball cards are a rare item in the United Kingdom. E-bay has opened a few doors. For a while I tried to buy every card, every pack and programme that was listed in the UK. It was easy. There wasn't that much, there still isn't. I asked anyone I knew who was visiting the United States to buy me some cards. I amassed a decent collection in the 90's and 00's but the cards from earlier were the 'holy grail'. They eluded me.

Then to my surprise cards from the 1960's, 1970's and 1980's appeared on E-bay.

I bid and bid and bid.

I won some and lost most.

I decided to become more selective and set myself some goals.

To collect packs and only packs,

To collect a pack of baseball cards from every year starting at 1980, from the major manufacturers, Topps, Fleer, Bowman, Donruss and Upper Deck,

To collect Red Sox cards.

And more recently;

To collect Heritage, Retro and Oddball cards,

To collect some game used and autograph cards,

To collect the complete set of 1980's Topps baseball cards (all 726 of them).

By chance I discovered 'A Pack a Day' blog and from there 'Stale Gum', 'White Sox Cards', 'Thorzul will Rule', 'The Baseball Card Blog', 'Wax Heaven' and many more (check out the Baseball Card Blog Roll)

It opened a whole new world of card collecting. I intend to record my trades, discoveries and thoughts on card collecting. I don't intend on being a prolific writer just enough to keep an accurate record.

pur.suit

–noun1. the act of pursuing: in pursuit of card 197.2. an effort to secure or attain; quest: the pursuit of a team set.3. any occupation, pastime, or the like, in which a person is engaged regularly or customarily: baseball card collecting pursuits.